The new season of FIA-CEZ championship started at Hungaroring last weekend. Even though the track was full of snow – just before the racing weekend and the organizers had to change the schedule, we know the first winners.
Sprint+2000
GT3 cars are undoubtedly the most popular and most affordable ones at the market. So, one may see hundreds of them racing everywhere around the world. Therefore, it is clear that GT3s rule even at FIA CEZ championship. In fact, the fans could witness an exciting duel of two BMWs M6 GT3.
While Jirko Malchárek had driven many races of the previous season with this car, Jakub Knoll had his first racing experience behind the wheel of this racing special. So expectedly, Malchárek made use of his last season’s experience and gained his well-deserved victory in D4+3500 category. Jakub Knoll was second and Marcel Jedlinski – a newcomer in FIA CEZ – with Porsche 991 GT3R came third. However, the absolute winner was Václav Janík on Norma.
The Chlads’ family team has returned on European circuits after a few years. Richard Chlad jun. was taming his Audi R8 LMS Ultra in sprints and eventually, he gained 4th place in Division 4 +3500 ccm. Josef Záruba (Mičánek Motorsport) on Lamborghini ended up on sixth place in absolute ranking, but in D4-GTC category, he had no equal.
During the second sprint, the spectators could finally see the battle of two Bavarian specials. Although Knoll outsmarted polesitter Malchárek just after the start, Malchárek got the lead soon after that. To summarize, Malchárek kept his position until the end despite Knoll’s persistent attempts to overtake him.
The second race of the second saw a dramatic collision of Jedlinski and Kačírkem. As a result, Jedlinski, who caused the accident, could not continue while Kačírek was forced to give up the race. For him, it was a sad premiere with BMW Z4 GT3. However, from the next weekend on, he is going to race with K&K Duck Racing team where he will share Audi R8 LMS Ultra with Marcel Kusín.
Sprint-2000
Sprint of up-to 2000 ccm category offered a great show – courtesy of Zoran Kastratović and Petr Mandelík. Thus, the fans could watch two extraordinary races where a winged Clio fought against fast Lotus.
In both races, Kastratović had the pole positions but also, in both cases, Mandelík was able to overtake the Serbian racer. In the first race, despite Mandelík’s (KT Motorsport) tireless effort to fight hard – even after he lost his roof which had flown away in finishing straight – Kastratović eventually got past him and won.
On the other hand, Mandelík was more successful in the second race and he could celebrate victory in absolute ranking. Fortunately for Serbian racer, Czech driver did not get any points for FIA CEZ ranking so Kastratović took full points from Hungary.
Formula
Paolo Brajnik was definitely the star of the previous season in one-seaters category. This tall Italian put old saying “Veni, vidi, ceci” into practice. Therefore, everybody expected he would set the pace even this year. Surprisingly, in the first race of the season, the situation was a bit different, although he dominated in the qualification.
Shortly after the start, Bartolomiej Mirecki with formula Renault 2.0 overtook him. Brajnik was trying to get back on the first positon the whole race, but he had chosen unsuitable tires which did not allow him to get better position. The third place was won by János Magyar.
Brajnik was eventually more successful in the second race. He made the best use of his second pole position. Nonetheless, Mirecky, who started from the fourth position, was following him closely. János Mayar took the third place again.
Endurance
Janík Motorsport team was indead the most visible one in the endurance race. In detail, it was their newest arrival – young racer Tomáš Korený. Last year, he raced with formula Gloria but he switched it for Norma M20 FC. Korený was really amazing in the qualification. He was 3 seconds faster than all his competitors. In the race itself, brand new Norma had started from the last position – owing to its placement in D5 category, but at the end, Koreny-Janík crew celebrated absolute victory.
However, the toughest duel of the race was among two M6 GT3 specials in D4+3500 category. And again, the car of Slovak team Trevor Racing was more successful. As a result, Jirko Malchárek achieved hattrick, which he celebrated with his son Christian who he shared the race with. The second place was takend by Jakub Knoll with Robert Šenkýř while Dan Skalický, racing with BMW Z4 GT3 for the first time, ended up third.
FIA CEZ Championship is returning next month. The races will take place in picturesque foothills of Styrian Alps – at Austrian Red Bull Ring.
Česky